RESOLUTION URGING THE U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO GRANT TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS TO UNDOCUMENTED HAITIAN NATIONALS LIVING IN THE U.S. AND URGING THE U.S. CONGRESS TO SUPPORT SUCH EFFORT

Indexes:

HAITIANS

HOMELAND SECURITY

Sponsors:

Audrey M. Edmonson, Prime Sponsor

Bruno A. Barreiro, Co-Sponsor

Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Co-Sponsor

Carlos A. Gimenez, Co-Sponsor

Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor

Barbara J. Jordan, Co-Sponsor

Dennis C. Moss, Co-Sponsor

Dorrin D. Rolle, Co-Sponsor

Natacha Seijas, Co-Sponsor

Katy Sorenson, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision:
No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History

Acting Body

Date

Agenda Item

Action

Sent To

Due Date

Returned

Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners

2/7/2006

14A2

Adopted

P

County Manager

2/3/2006

Additions

2/7/2006

County Attorney

2/1/2006

Assigned

Jess M. McCarty

Legislative Text

TITLE

RESOLUTION URGING THE U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO GRANT TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS TO UNDOCUMENTED HAITIAN NATIONALS LIVING IN THE U.S. AND URGING THE U.S. CONGRESS TO SUPPORT SUCH EFFORT

BODY

WHEREAS, the citizens of Haiti are currently witnessing the collapse of their country's nascent democracy as political violence and human rights abuses escalate; and
WHEREAS, the existing and ongoing armed conflict in Haiti poses a serious threat to the personal safety of the millions of Haitian nationals presently in Haiti, as well as those returning to Haiti from abroad; and
WHEREAS, Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the grant of Temporary Protected Status to nationals of a country where there is an ongoing armed conflict so that requiring the nationals to return to their country would pose a serious threat to their personal safety; and
WHEREAS, the United States has granted Temporary Protected Status to the nationals of several other countries under similar circumstances over the last decade, including Burundi, Liberia, and Haiti itself in 1998; and
WHEREAS, current conditions in Haiti are extremely dangerous and deteriorating, so that requiring Haitian nationals to return to their country would pose a serious threat to their personal safety; and

WHEREAS, permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is in the national interest of our country as the world's leading democracy,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security to grant Temporary Protected Status to undocumented Haitian nationals living in the U.S.
Section 2. Urges the U.S. Congress to support the granting of Temporary Protected Status to undocumented Haitian nationals living in the U.S.
Section 3. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Miami-Dade County Congressional Delegation and the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.